Tag : news

What started as a simple St.Patrick’s Day promotion at a Vancouver restaurant turned into international outrage. When Railtown Cafe posted a picture of an overflowing Guinness, the picture went viral which made beer drinkers in Ireland and beyond cringe. According to Guinness the proper pour of the beer requires a 45 degree angle, filled three-quarters full then left for 90 seconds while the foam settles.

Canada:

Canada is making strides to create the first spaceport near Canso, Nova Scotia. In a joint venture with several US firms, Maritime Launch Services will create a launchpad to deliver commercial satellites in orbit. The total cost will be $304 million but will be one small step for man, eh?

US:

Trumps revised travel ban, or travel ban 2.0, was blocked from federal judges in Hawaii and Maryland. The decision stems from previous statements made by Trump and his feelings towards Muslims which prompted the courts to regard the bill as discriminatory rather than an issue of national security. Anti-Muslim remarks made by Trump during his campaign trail in Nashville, Tennessee were quoted to support their case.

International:

Fresh off the news of Brexit, Scotland is pushing towards a second referendum on independence from the United Kingdom. The first minister blames the UK governments lack of compromise over Brexit. The vote will be held between Autumn 2018 and Spring 2019 after the smoke settles from the European Union separation.

Tech:

Imagine wearing glasses that can adjust in seconds from near-sighted to far-sighted. A breakthrough from researchers at the University of Utah produced a prototype for liquid lensed glasses that can adjust to any eye prescription. By inputting your prescription into an app and desired focal point it can signal the glasses to form accordingly through piezoelectric pistons and flexible lenses. The downside is, however, they are ugly beyond words.

Science:

Finally, the debate of the “five-second rule” can be laid to rest. Germ expert Anthony Hilton from Ashton University said eating food on the floor momentarily isn’t without risks but is safe overall. While he stresses to stay away from visible dirt, otherwise food is unlikely to attract harmful bacteria in seconds. Don’t hesitate to quote this when you pick up that slice of pizza that fell on the floor as your spouse frowns upon you.

Entertainment:

The godfather of rock and roll Chuck Berry passed away at the age of 90. The American guitarist was said to have influenced the likes of Elvis, The Beatles and Rolling Stones. He was famous for classic songs such as “Johnny B. Goode” and “Roll Over Beethoven”.

Fun:

Not only is it the first day of spring but it’s national proposal day!

Here’s the weekly news debrief, with things to know from around the world for March 6th

Vancouver:

The prime minister came to address the illicit drug crisis affecting Vancouver on Thursday. Justin Trudeau met with first responders and healthcare workers to discuss the drug overdose crisis that claimed the lives of 922 people last year in B.C. He announced $10 million of federal funds for the province to help deal with the epidemic.

Canada:

Bus operators in Winnipeg, Manitoba are feeling concerned for their safety after a passenger threatened to stab a driver while holding an axe and brass knuckles last week. The suspect was taken into custody and will face charges. The incident came soon after a bus driver was slain in a stabbing on Feb. 14 outside the University of Manitoba. Now, bus drivers are calling for heightened security measures to enforce a no tolerance policy towards violence.

US:

A Georgia judge sentenced a couple to lengthy prison terms for their involvement of a confederate flag display at an African American child’s birthday party. The hate group arrived with shotguns threatening the lives of the family in 2015. The no tolerance judge gave the man, Jose Torres, 13 years and Kayla Norton six years for uttering “terroristic threats”.

International:

Ever wanted to become a nanny to a giant, fluffy panda? Well, if you move to China that can be a reality. The China Conservation and Research Centre for Giant Pandas offers full time employment for people to feed, clean and look after pandas around-the-clock. The job only pays 2,000 yuan (USD $290) per month, so don’t expect to get rich but on the other hand, you get to play with pandas!

Tech:

Engineers in New York created a folded piece of paper. Doesn’t sound very interesting, right? The folded paper is actually a paper-based battery, a big step forward in the field of papertronics. The battery can be printed on a page and is powered through living bacteria. Paper electronics are simple to make and inexpensive, the battery is powered with bacteria, which can be found in most places such a dirty puddle.

Science:

A team of biomedical engineers created a backpack that attaches to a dragonfly that allows them to control their flight patterns. The project known as DragonflEye can transmit signals to neurons using light, the signal tells the dragonfly where to fly on command. Now we have good reason not to trust the bugs.

Entertainment:

Disney’s upcoming live action remake Beauty and the Beast will feature a gay character for the first time in the studios history. LeFou is the goofy sidekick to the primary villain Gaston who will come to terms with his sexuality. Of course, the news doesn’t come without controversy. Twitter had polarizing views regarding the inclusion with some believing they are forcing narratives on the viewers. Can’t people just enjoy a movie for what it is?

Here’s the weekly news debrief, with things to know from around the world for February 27.

Vancouver:

The City of Vancouver received a lot of backlash from its new redesigned logo that cost $8,000. The design community within the city created an open letter criticizing the simplistic font and design that fails to represent Vancouver’s culture and diversity. Many took to social media to show nearly identical concepts they created on Microsoft word in 10 minutes, which makes us wonder how that costs $8,000?

Canada:

Canada experienced a major spike in tourism over the past year. The tourism office reports that in 2016, 20-million international travellers visited our great land, which was 17 per cent increase from 2015, and the highest in 14 years. Many of these travellers were reported to be from US, which begs the question is President Trump accidentally making Canada great again?

US:

The Trump administration is moving to revoke federal guidelines that allow transgender students to use bathrooms of their chosen identity. Sean Spicer spoke on Wednesday that the previous Obama-era regulations were confusing and hard to implement and therefore need to be removed. News of the change sparked outrage in the transgender community due to the potential for discrimination they will face.

International:

The president of Iceland had some rather strong words towards pineapple pizza. When speaking to high school students, Guðni Th. Jóhannesson expressed that he was “fundamentally opposed” to pineapples on pizza. He went on to explain that if he could, he would ban the controversial pizza topping. Of course, many on Twitter took this to heart leaving scathing reactions to the president’s opinion. He had to since clarify that he will not be placing any bans on tropical pizza toppings.

Tech:

Now almond milk can be made from the comfort of your home in 30 seconds. The Almond Cow takes pre-soaked almonds and using a coffee grinder-like system can make almond milk within seconds. One half cup of almonds will reap 1.3 liters of delicious almond milk. Funded through Kickstarter, this successful campaign raised more than $100,000.

Science:

NASA announced a discovery that brings us closer to finding life on other planets. The nearby star called TRAPPIST-1 was uncovered along with seven Earth-like planets in its orbit. Due to their location, three of those planets were deemed hopeful candidates to host living organisms. It’s proximity to Earth is so close that it would take us about 20 days to make the journey. It’s very possible we’re going to see E.T. within our lifetimes.

Entertainment:

TV and Film actor Bill Paxton passed away last week at the age of 61. The cause of death was due to complications from surgery. Bill Paxton was accredited in major movies such as Apollo 13, Titanic and Aliens and was currently starring in the CBS drama Training Day that started on February 2nd. The network hasn’t commented on whether they will continue airing the season.

Here’s the weekly news debrief, with things to know from around the world for February 20th

Vancouver:

Travelling from Vancouver to Seattle could take as little as an hour in the future. Washington State is studying how to implement a high-speed train that connects the west coast cities Vancouver, Seattle and Portland. The research will determine if the multi-billion dollar service is even worth constructing and scheduled to be presented no later than December 2017.

Canada:

If you’re an international student, come to Canada! The 2017 QS Best Student City released the top destinations for international students and Montreal ranked first above Paris and London. The top destinations were chosen by affordability, student mix, employer activity and desirability. Vancouver is the only other Canadian city to make the list landing in the 10th spot.

US:

President Trump attended a rally in Melbourne, Florida where he continued his usual ramblings about terrorism abroad. This time, he mentioned the terrorist attack in Sweden, which he used towards his anti-immigration campaign. Sweden among the rest of the world was immediately confused because no such attack existed. Trump later mentioned he received this information from a Fox News report because who needs an intelligence agency when you have cable, right?

International:

The half-brother of North Korea’s supreme leader Kim Jong Un was assassinated in Malaysia earlier last week after a strange turn of events. Kim Jong-nam was walking near a Starbucks when two female assassins approached; one distracted the estranged brother while the other sprayed liquid in his face. The brother passed away shortly after on the way to the hospital. The assailant was arrested and said she was paid to do a hidden camera prank show where they spray unsuspecting people in the face with water but for Kim Jong-nam the liquid was switched with poison.

Tech:

Dubai is planning to release their fleet of self-flying taxis as early as July. These four-legged drones have eight propellers and can seat a passenger weighing up to 220lbs. By entering the destination on a touchscreen the drone will whisk the occupant away at speeds up to 160km per hour. So far, 180 of the Chinese made vehicles have been tested in Dubai’s aerospace.

Science:

Scientists are on the verge or resurrecting the prehistoric Wooly Mammoth within the next seven years. Using the embryo from an Asian elephant as the template, they can modify it with extracted genetic information from the extinct mammal to create an almost exact DNA pattern. The question remains whether reintroducing a prehistoric animal to an ecosystem will be beneficial or detrimental. Meanwhile, we’re all just waiting for Jurassic Park to open.

Entertainment:

Harrison Ford accidentally landed his plane on the wrong runway nearly causing a crash. Harrison realized something was off when he flew over a Boeing 737 on the taxiway. He was recorded on the flight traffic controller’s radio saying, “ Was that airliner supposed to be beneath me?” The Starwars alumni previously crashed a plane into a golf course in 2015; he sustained heavy injuries while having no recollection of how it happened. It’s about time Han Solo let someone else fly the Millennial Falcon.

Here’s the weekly news debrief, with things to know from around the world for January 16th:

Vancouver:

According to a new poll, Mayor Robertson has the lowest approval rating of ten major city mayors across the country. Sitting at only 50%, Robertson also proved to be the most polarizing, with the highest percentage of residents ‘strongly supporting’ and ‘strongly opposing’ him. It’s those bikes lines I tell ya.

Canada:

Our Prime Minister is in some hot water over his vacation plans during New Years. He’s being investigated by the ethics commissioner for potentially violating several conflict of interest statues for accepting flights and trips from the Aga Khan over the holiday. This makes Trudeau the first sitting Prime Minister to ever be investigated by the ethics department.

US:

So the day nearly upon us. On Friday, Donald J. Trump will be officially sworn in as the next President of the United States. Not that anyone will be around to see it; there’s no prominent music acts, no celebrities, and a growing number of absent politicians and senators. Where is everyone? They’ll all be at the Women’s March the next day. Unless you’re a fan of Three Doors Down….they’ll be performing at the inauguration, and then go back to performing at Chuck E. Cheese, where they’ve been the house band since 2002.

International:

As the British Prime Minister gets ready to reveal the plans for Brexit, the British Pound is at the lowest it has ever been in over 30 years. Theresa May will outline exactly how Britain will leave the EU on Tuesday, meanwhile Trump has called Brexit “a great thing” and slammed the EU as a “vehicle for Germany.” The Germans are not amused.

Tech:

Following a two-year investigation, Amazon has been fined $1M for misleading Canadian consumers with false pricing. It all came down to how they allowed sellers to list ‘suggested retail pricing’, which they have since changed. Not that a $1M fine means anything to a company that made $30B last year.

Science:

A group of researchers from Pennsylvania have discovered a way to regenerate skin cells, meaning they can completely eliminate scar tissue. The trick is apparently to encourage hair regrowth first, causing the body to increase fat cells around the wound and eliminating scar tissue.

Entertainment:

After 146 years, the Ringling Brothers are shutting down the Greatest Show on Earth. Declining ticket sales, competition and animal rights complaints have led the company to pull the curtain on the circus. To be fair, I can’t think of anyone that has gone to the circus in 20 years, so they may have a point.

Here’s the weekly news debrief, with things to know from around the world for January 9th:

Vancouver:

For those that may not have heard, BBTV is making a serious push into new global marketplaces with expansions into Singapore, Malaysia, Taiwan, South Korea, Vietnam, Saudi Arabia, UAE and Egypt. Expect to see BBTV grow substantially more in the next few years.

Canada:

Alberta doesn’t seem to be recovering, or at least not nearly as fast as many predicted. Two and a half years in and the oil slump continues to hammer the province, with unemployment at a provincial high. One solution being presented is to ask for the Federal Government to invest in a sustainable fund that would encourage junior exploration and defunct oil rig clean up work.

US:

This is a crucial week for Trump and his nominees, with his cabinet picks undergoing confirmation hearings with questions ranging from civil rights abuse allegations to Russian business ties. Trump will also hold an official press conference this week, the first since July.

International:

North Korea has claimed they have the capability to launch nuclear missiles into the US “at any time.” So far there is no proof, and it appears the N. Koreans are waiting to see what policy changes will come into effect with Trump’s administration.

Tech:

Norway will be the first country to officially kill FM radio. The country is transitioning all radio broadcasts over to digital radio, something some are saying is too soon as it will leave millions of homes and vehicles without the ability to tune in. Plans are in motion for the same to happen in Switzerland, Britain and Denmark.

Science:

The Orca that terrified you in the documentary ‘Blackfish’ has died. Tilikum the killer whale (totally intention pun) died of a bacterial infection last week. Tilikum was 36 years old and responsible for the deaths of three people.

Entertainment:

Last night’s Golden Globes awarded La La Land all seven awards it was nominated for (I mean it’s a movie with Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone dancing and singing, how could that NOT be good?). Meanwhile Meryl Streep took six minutes to destroy Trump, no one does it quite like Meryl.

Here’s the weekly news debrief, with things to know from around the world for December 19:

Vancouver:

If you’re wondering where that 0.5 per cent tax increase for front line services will be going from the city of Vancouver, just look at the latest drug overdose numbers. By the end of November, BC had recorded 755 deaths due to overdose, a staggering 70 per cent increase over last year. And yes, Fentanyl is largely to blame for this, accounting for 60 per cent of all those case.

Canada:

VW Canada has reached a settlement in the class action lawsuit regarding the massive emissions scandal from late last year. VW will pay out over $2.1 Billion to the over 100,000 Canadians affected, with either vehicle buy-backs or repairs. The scandal has already cost VW over $10 Billion, which is an expensive price tag for a lesson that should have been learned in middle school: don’t cheat on your tests!

US:

Remember the phrase “truth is stranger than fiction” for this next bit. Police barricades around Trump tower are now branded with Tiffany & Co signage. The light blue barricades are just soooo pretty, and bodes well for other luxury brands who will be interested in renting lawn space at the White House. Next year’s Presidential pardoned turkey brought to you by Whole Foods; they have the best, just the best turkey. Look at the size of these turkey legs, they’re yuuuge.

International:

The Russian ambassador to Turkey has been killed in a shooting while attending a photo exhibition. It’s still not known who or why, but Turkey and Russia have been at odds with the handling of Syria.

Tech:

Blackberry has announced a new autonomous vehicle division, which at first glance seems odd from a failing smartphone maker. But, Blackberry’s strongest asset was it’s security, which will be an important factor in maintaining safety in an autonomous future.

Science:

After months of baffling scientists, it’s now believed that a mysterious sound recorded in the depths of the Mariana Trench is a never before recorded Baleen Whale call. It’s still not known what the call means, it could be anything from a unique mating call to a young baleen whale pursuing his career in EDM with the freshest techno beats this side of the Atlantic.

Entertainment:

Zsa Zsa Gabor, actress and famous crossword puzzle answer, has passed away at age 99. Not necessarily known for her roles, Zsa Zsa out lived her two other sisters and was the spitting image of “elite” constantly wearing fur and pearls, marrying EIGHT millionaires and of course calling everyone in her sight “dahhhrlink.”

Here’s the weekly news debrief, with things to know from around the world for December 12:

Vancouver:

Half of all Vancouver’s most expensive homes are secretly owned, meaning we have no idea whose fuelling the ultra-rich real estate market in the city. The NDP has called for more transparency, and to close the loophole on purchasing real estate through shell corporations.

Canada:

Syrian refugees celebrated one year officially coming to Canada over the weekend. Over 36,000 have been welcomed into Canada, and while it’s a good news story, the flip side is many are struggling to find work and their funding support was only meant to last a year.

US:

The CIA has “confidently” confirmed that Russia was involved in hacking to improve Trump’s odds at winning the Presidency. In an unprecedented move, but typical to Trump, he calls it nonsense, being the first incoming President to seriously undermine the CIA. At this point, Trump is going to convince the entire US population he is the only trustworthy person in America.

International:

The IOC has released a scathing report claiming Russia helped over 1,000 athletes tamper with doping tests in two Olympic games. And this apparently goes right to the Kremlin. It’s actually kinda crazy, the tests found male DNA in female athlete urine samples, so either Russia was cheating, or they’ve been secretly inserting men into the women’s games.

Tech:

Bill Gates, along with Alibaba head Jack Ma and other billionaires are launching a $1 Billion dollar fund to combat climate change. The fund is expected to run for 20 years and will help companies at all stages develop reliable and affordable clean tech. Looks like having a climate-change denying President may drive others to do it for him, that’s a small silver lining.

Science:

A very promising vaccine for HIV has been approved for Phase II trials, meaning it will be tested on HIV-negative patients to test the reliability of the drug. This is the biggest step medicine has taken to date in finding a vaccine for HIV and has already proven to be extremely effective in Phase I.

Entertainment:

Some guy who was fraudulently using his company credit card to buy things like cars and seasons tickets spent $1 Million dollars on the mobile game Game of War. One Million dollars on a mobile app!!

Shopping for fall outfits? The Vancouver Sun lists Dish Performance Denim as THE pair of women’s jeans to shop for when playing with your fall wardrobe.

Biotech PR

Former President Jimmy Carter publicly announced his battle with cancer. Last week he elaborated on his choice of treatment: his own immune system (immunotherapy) with the support of a new drug called Keytruda. In the same arena, OncoSec Medical announced their first patient enrolled in a combination trial to test the safety and effectiveness of Immunopulse, their unique form of immunotherapy with Keytruda – the very same drug President Carter is using.